Naruto for Hire
by Oppressed Madness
Summary: It's summer time in Konoha. Sasuke's fan girls are in a major frenzy. Naruto's all out of money and Sasuke needs a break. Sasuke comes up with a plan that could give both him and Naruto what they want.
1. School's Out

Naruto For Hire!

Summary: It's summer time in Konoha. Sasuke's fan girls are in a major frenzy. Naruto's all out of money and Sasuke needs a break. Sasuke comes up with a plan that could give both him and Naruto what they want.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Uzumaki. I do not own Sasuke Uchiha. I do not own any other characters from the Naruto world that may or may not be mentioned. I do not own Konoha nor do I own any associated villages and lands that may or may not be mentioned. If it's named, I do not own it.

Chapter 1

School's Out

Sasuke sat with his head in his hands. He gazed at the clock, only five minutes to go. It seemed as if Iruka had been talking for forever. Oh, how Sasuke wished the bell would just _ring_ already. Sasuke gazed at the second hand of the clock circling its round face.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock_.

Then, the minute hand moved slightly yet again. Sasuke sighed. Only four minutes were left in the school year and Father Time was ensuring it was moving agonizingly slowly.

Finally, after forever and an eternity had passed, the bell rang at long last. Sasuke packed away his books quickly and proceeded to run out the door. It had been a long school year but typical in almost every other way. Sasuke had busted his butt studying, and now all he wanted to do was relax and unwind and forget everything he learnt for the school year. He was just about to leave the school building when he walked into a mass of people.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm going for a smoothie before I go home now. It's _so_ hot. You wanna join me?" It was Sakura.

Then a blond girl pushed Sakura out of the way.

"Aww, such a cute attempt billboard brow, but he can't. He's going to catch a movie with me tonight, right Sasuke?"

"Fat chance, Ino pig!"

Sasuke mentally groaned. He suddenly remembered why this school year in particular was so long, and what had really stressed him out. This year, he had acquired a fan club.

All the girls in his year and then some constantly nagged him throughout the year, trying to get him on a date. They followed him _everywhere_. Some even attempted to follow him to the bathroom and from the look of things; it didn't appear as if they had any intention to break for the summer. Sasuke suppressed a groan. This was going to be a long summer.

"Hey, old man! One more bowl!"

"Coming right up, Naruto!"

Ichiraku sent another bowl of pork ramen Naruto's way. It was his seventh bowl of ramen. Naruto was celebrating the beginning of summer break.

This school year had been a rough one for him. Besides the usual mistreatment and insults thrown at him, he had failed his genin exam for the third time. Naruto had tried his hardest but still he just couldn't produce an effective clone. He had almost decided to give up on becoming a ninja when Mizuki had come to him, telling him about the secret scroll that could help him become a genin. Naruto had been gullible enough to believe him and went after it.

When Naruto found the scroll, he taught himself to use Shadow Clone and had felt proud of himself. With new energy Naruto was prepared to show Iruka his new jutsu, but when Iruka showed up he didn't seem too happy. Apparently the scroll Naruto had taken was forbidden, and angry ninjas were looking for him.

Luckily, it had been Iruka who found him. He was very kind and understanding towards Naruto. He tried to talk to Naruto, to explain what was wrong but Mizuki found them before he could explain anything.

The idiot told Naruto about the Demon Fox inside of him and tried to get Naruto to hand over the scroll. A chase broke out and ultimately led to a fight when Iruka protected Naruto from one of Mizuki's attacks. Naruto had panicked, and when Mizuki tried to attack the injured Iruka, he created a legion of Shadow Clones to fight Mizuki instead.

The awesome display of chakra and use of Shadow Clone had changed Naruto's failing to a pass. The next morning Iruka took Naruto out for ramen.

"Hey Naruto, I know I said I'll treat you but you gotta slow down."

Iruka was half smiling, half concerned. He had watched the blond scarf down now eight bowls of ramen for the past hour and a half. After the incident from the night before he was glad to see Naruto was in such light spirits but the child was seriously going to make himself sick if continued eating like he was.

"Okay sensei. Just one more bowl, _please_."

Naruto was starting to order another bowl.

"I think I've treated you enough! You're going to make yourself sick and if you order anymore I'll make you pay for it yourself." Iruka had a scolding face now, he was very serious.

Naruto pouted.

"But sensei, you said you'll treat me!" Naruto whined.

"I know, but too much of anything can make you sick."

"Fine." Naruto conceded reluctantly.

It wasn't really that Naruto was still hungry, he just _really_ loved ramen. He would have gotten himself another bowl and willingly paid for it, but he was broke. As a matter of fact, he was very relieved when Iruka offered to buy him ramen. Naruto had been running low on funds for the past three months, he was rationing on food and money. He had also been looking for a job but no one in the village wanted the 'demon' to work for them.

About a week ago, Naruto had run out of food and money. He was eating left over food in containers thrown in the trash to stay alive. The food wasn't so pleasant and Naruto was starting to feel sick, physically and mentally. When Iruka offered to treat him, he jumped at the chance, and although he knew gluttony was a pitfall of any ninja and asking for so much ramen was abusing Iruka's offer, Naruto couldn't control himself. He didn't know when his next meal would come again and after eating trash for so long the ramen was like heaven to him.

Sasuke was pissed. Everywhere he turned.

'_Hi Sasuke~_'.

With their shrilly voices that buzzed in his ear like swarming bees. Couldn't someone just _tell_ them that their so-called 'seductive' voices weren't seductive at all?

No matter how many times he told them, they just wouldn't accept that no meant no and leave him the hell alone. Sasuke unplugged his phone – yes, they even had his home phone number – and sat quietly on the leather couch in his living room.

He needed to find a way get all those fan girls off his back. He couldn't deal with them for an entire summer else something would break. Sasuke sank deeper and deeper into his thoughts when one person came to his mind.

_Naruto._

A/N

Hey guys I'm DaisyQueen. I'm definitely going to try and finish this story.

I'll try to get the next chapter up by the end of this weekend.

Special thanks to espeon16, my beta reader, for helping me out and reading my story. ^_^

Feel free to leave constructive criticism.


	2. Decisions Made

The Decision Made

The second day of Naruto's summer was spent mainly foraging for food while avoiding looks of scorn from the villagers. Overall, Naruto would say things went pretty well.

Naruto was walking on the northern outskirts of Konoha. The road he travelled was mainly used by farmers who lived in the countryside but sold their produce in the markets of Konoha. Naruto had spent the better half of his day foraging and it was now well into the afternoon.

His stomach was now grumbling loudly. Naruto was pretty sure it was going to scare off the birds. Too bad for Naruto's aching stomach though, Naruto was dog tired and decided to call it a day. He would just have to go without food today.

Or so Naruto thought.

Naruto was so focused on ignoring his hunger pangs he almost didn't notice but just a bit up the road there was a farmer, whose cart seemed to have broken down.

"Oi!" Naruto yelled. "Need any help?"

Despite his starvation and exhaustion, Naruto sprinted to the stranded farmer. There he took a look at the cart. It was wooden, and the paint was chipped and dull. The farmer didn't look any better himself. He looked old and feeble, as if he was barely there and ready to kick the proverbial bucket. The clothes he wore were ragged and smelt of perspiration and dust with a hint of lavender. They had a few bleach marks but there were no holes. Obviously, the farmer was wearing the best of what he had. Naruto took a look at the cart – one of the wheels had popped off.

The way the cart was designed, the wheel could have easily been repaired by slipping it back onto the axle, but to do that the cart would have needed to be lifted and the farmer could barely stand, much lift a loaded cart.

"I lift, and you put the wheel back on."

The old man nodded in agreement.

Naruto lifted the cart, twisting his face into a strain as he did it. Not that the cart was that heavy, just that hunger and exhaustion was definitely not an award winning combination. The simple task depleted the little energy Naruto had rapidly but Naruto was glad to do it. The old man released a dry laugh and patted Naruto on the back.

"We did it!" Then he looked up at Naruto's forhead. "That symbol! You're a shinobi!"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah! Just became one yesterday!"

"Then please take some of my produce as a gift." The old man stepped aside and bowed.

Naruto smiled but frowned on the inside.

"As much as I would like to, I can't. I'm a shinobi of the Leaf. It's my job to help and protect civilians. I can't accept your gift."

"But I insist!"

Naruto was just about to decline politely again when his belly lurched. He stood there frozen for a moment, wondering if the old man heard it too.

_Bad tummy!_ Naruto scolded. _Not now, please._

The old man smiled. "To be a shinobi, you need to be strong, right?"

Naruto nodded.

"And part of gaining strength is eating, right?"

Again Naruto agreed.

"Then please take some of my food. If you don't eat, you won't get stronger. If you don't get stronger then you won't be able to properly protect me and our village." The old man bowed yet again. "Please take some food."

Naruto placed his fist underneath his chin, his eyes flicked randomly, looking at nothing in particular.

"Hmm…. I guess you make sense…."

Naruto smiled and placed his arms behind his head.

"I guess I can't refuse."

The cart was filled with various fruits and vegetables that looked so delicious and plump. Naruto grabbed a giant watermelon, a few carrots and a couple other fruits and vegetables.

The old man jumped onto the cart and landed gently in the front on a pillowed cushion. He did it as if he had practiced it a hundred times. He wasn't as feeble as he looked, after all.

Naruto bowed his head as the old man waved good-bye on his way to the market.

Later that day, Naruto returned home to find that the mail had been delivered. He had three new letters. He picked the mail up off the floor and rested the produce he had gotten from the farmer on the kitchen table. Then, he opened the first one which was from The Bank of Konoha.

_To Mr. Naruto Uzumaki:_

_We here are The Bank of Konoha regret to inform you that your Savings Account, Account Number 892-6647-0, has been terminated subsequent to your failure to maintain the minimum saving balance. We here at The Bank of Konoha are thankful for your service and wish you luck in your future banking endeavours. _

The account in question belonged to Naruto's dead parents. He inherited it and it kept him going for most of his life. The money was supposed to last longer but in his ramen bliss Naruto lost control and splurged.

_I guess now I'm paying for that._

Then Naruto opened the second letter, it was from the academy.

_Congratulations Naruto Uzumaki!_

_We here at the Konoha Ninja Academy offer you our congradulations and best wishes on your path to becoming a shinobi. Now that you are a genin not only has your ranking upgraded but so have your materials. Below are the basic necessities you will need for your upcoming genin training._

Naruto continued reading the letter. The school list was long and expensive.

Then came the last letter.

_Dear Mr. Naruto Uzumaki,_

_This is a reminder informing you that you are now twenty (20) days overdue on your rent. You have ten (10) days left to pay the owed sum of $900 and its associated fees. Failure to do so will result in you being evicted._

_Sincerely _

_Kohaku Mishimoto_

_Land Lord for Leaf Housing_

Naruto dropped all the letters and dragged himself to his bedroom. He was now hungry, tired and depressed. At this point he didn't even want to eat that plump, juicy watermelon he got. Naruto just wanted to forget his problems and let the day fade into an end. Naruto plopped facedown into his bed and allowed the darkness to take him away.

The next time Naruto opened his eyes outside was dark but it was a full moon night so his room was fairly lit from the lunar light. Naruto rolled over on his side and glanced at the ticking device on his bedroom wall. It was ten past nine.

_Another day is almost over,_ he thought.

Then, without warning, the problems he fled to the darkness to escape flooded back to his mind, bombarding his mental defences with sadness and worry.

School. The rent. Money.

_Sasuke!_

Naruto flashed back to the proposal Sasuke offered him the night before.

_The moon was in its luminescent glory. Naruto was pitching pebbles into the lake. It was unusual for Naruto to be out at that late hour of the night but that night was different. It was his first night of being a ninja. If he was like any normal kid with any normal family he would have been celebrating such a momentous occasion with them but alas, Naruto was an orphan and anything but normal. Ever since Naruto could remember, he had lived alone. In his earlier childhood memory there was a woman with harsh, heavy hands but she fed and clothed him if nothing else._

_Naruto was accustomed to the deathly silence of his house but he still sometimes needed a change of scenery, a change of routine, a change of something in his life to preserve his sanity and remind him that he was still alive. Tonight had been one of those nights. Naruto had gone down to the lake to think. It's where Sasuke went when he wanted to get away and think, and it seemed to work for him. Naruto thought the lake would do the same for himself._

_It wasn't too long after Naruto's arrival when Sasuke arrived._

"_Sasuke," Naruto said, almost questioningly._

_Sasuke shrugged, walking slowly towards Naruto._

_Naruto stood and tensed, ready for battle._

"_What do you want?" Naruto demanded._

_Sasuke continued approaching._

"_I'm not here to fight you, dobe."_

"_Teme!"_

_Naruto slightly relaxed his stance._

"_I-I-I-"_

_Sasuke stuttering? Naruto was intrigued._

"_I need a favour from you, Naruto. A huge one!"_

"_Huh?" Naruto couldn't help but to show his confusion. He arched his eyebrow._

"_Sexy Jutsu, that's what you called it, right?"_

_At that point Sasuke and Naruto were nose to nose, almost close enough to kiss._

"_Uh…uhmm…, yeah. That's its name. Why?"_

_Sasuke diverted his eyes and starting looking everywhere but Naruto's face. For the first time, Sasuke was showing his feelings, as if he was really human. And much to Naruto's surprise, it was anxiety._

"_Come back to my house and I'll explain to you what I need from you."_

_Naruto thought Sasuke's proposal was strange. He would have refused but Sasuke's behaviour was even more bizarre_

_Naruto nodded in agreement and walked off with Sasuke._

Sasuke stirred as he slept. He felt a presence hovering over him. He opened his eyes to find that he was right. Naruto was standing over him, staring straight into his face. Sasuke glanced up and down several times, noting the Naruto's features. Two things stood out the most; Naruto's piercing azure eyes and his clenched tanned fists.

"Sasuke! I accept your proposal!"

.

Sasuke curved his lips into a faint smile.

"Thanks. Dobe."

* * *

So...I'm late.

Technically I wrote most of it before the weekend but I finished it today. Sorry to keep you guys waiting.

So I got 5 reviews and tons of subscriptions. Thank you all! ^_^

ilvecoffee-n-narutoYOUTH :i think i know where this story is going he he. Actually, no I don't. I can't wait for the next chapter though ^^

**Did it go the way you thought it would?**

sasunaru2themax : Awww, poor naruto. No one ever explains where he got his money from...these 'funds'...will you be the one? Lol, Nha, jk. But yes Sasuke, think Naruto. ONLY Naruto! XXXXXX

**I've read a couple fanfics that stated he got an allowance from the village or something of the sorts. I was gonna go with that but then I thought, nah. So there you have it. He inherited his parents money.**

**When reviewing the corrections my beta reader made I accidentally deleted the corrected file before I got to read it but luckily for me I had already opened the file on the iPod before I went to open it on the desktop. I copied the story from my iPod and mailed it to myself. So the work is corrected but the structure may be off a bit. If I find anything wrong I'll fix it during the course of the week.  
**


	3. Enter Akiha Kimura!

Enter Akiha Kimura!

The next day, Sasuke was very happy. Even though he tried to conceal it, he couldn't help but show that cheeky grin that just grew bigger as the jaws of girl after girl dropped at the shocking sight.

His plan was working. Soon, the whole of Konoha would know that Sasuke was off the market. Sasuke laughed inside his head, drinking in the sight of disappointed girls walking off with their heads hung low. In the distance, Sasuke saw a pink-haired girl coming towards him. He quickly grabbed the left hand of his partner and waited.

"Morning Sasuke-kun! I was thinking…."

Sakura's words faded away as she surveyed Sasuke from head to toe, her eyes stopping on Sasuke's right hand. It was interlocked, fingers laced, with another hand, smaller and gentler looking.

"Oh…" Sakura paused for a minute, lost for words. "Who's this?"

"Hi!"

Her voice was light and airy and her face was glowing with a slight tan. She had golden blond hair, which flowed down to the middle of her back in two pigtails. And her eyes, her eyes were the deepest blue Sakura had ever seen, almost like a clear summer day. Sakura couldn't help but to envy her beauty. She was like a human incarnation of a goddess. Who was she?

Sakura watched the blond unlace her hand from Sasuke's. It was like time was moving in slow motion. Before Sakura knew it, a small tanned hand was in front her, awaiting a responds. Almost naturally, without thought, Sakura shook the hand. Sakura was confused, her body was moving with all the right actions but her brain just couldn't process what her eyes were seeing. Then something finally registered.

_Her hands are incredibly soft! Even softer than mine!_

Sakura felt a pang in her chest that seeped its way down into her abdomen.

_What's this? _She thought. _Jealousy?_

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whispered.

Sasuke walked up to his blond partner and hugged her from behind before giving her a light kiss on her neck.

"Yes Sakura, this is Akiha Kimura. My girlfriend"

_No!_

Sakura felt her inner self start to cry. It was as if something broke inside of her.

"Hey Sakura! You'd never believe what I just heard!"

Ino stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the site.

"I guess it's true…." Ino's face remained neutral but her disappointment was inked into her voice.

Akiha smiled at Ino, suppressing a giggle, Sasuke was playing with the hairs on the back of her neck.

"I'm Akiha Kimura. Sasuke and I are dating, if that's what you were going to ask."

Ino glanced from Sasuke to Akiha and back. She noticed that Sasuke was smiling, as if he was genuinely happy.

"Congrats Sasuke!" She blurted in a false cheery voice. "Sakura, maybe we should go."

"Huh?"

Sakura was dazed. She was still trying to accept the fact that her crush, was now taken.

"Yeah. Maybe we should." She spared one more quick glance at the new couple and smiled. "Congrats Sasuke-kun, Akiha-chan," she said solemnly as she joined Ino and walked away.

Sasuke spent the rest of the morning parading Akiha around town, ensuring that the news was final and clear. Then close to midday he heard the stomach of his partner lurch.

"Sasuke, I'm getting pretty hungry. Can we go for lunch now?" Akiha whined.

At first, Sasuke was a little annoyed. Before now, most of the feminine whiny voices he heard were from those of his fan club, and as such he still wasn't one hundred percent used to listening and tolerating such a high pitched voice.

"Seriously Sasuke! If I don't eat I won't be able to hold this jutsu!" Akiha was more impatient now.

"Okay dobe! Where do you wanna eat?" Sasuke had long ago stop smiling. He was back to his cold, indifferent self.

Akiha placed her index finger and her chin and rolled her eyes to the sky as she contemplated the answer.

"Um…"

"Cut that out!" Sasuke demanded. His annoyance, if it was before, was quite evident now.

"I'm just acting…in case anyone is still watching. Geesh!" Akiha strugged. "I want ramen!"

Sasuke stomped his foot and folded his arms.

"No way! That's way too risky! You can't control yourself when you eat that! We're having something else!"

"Aww but Sasuke-kun!" Akiha batted her eyes and swayed her hips then winked her eye. "Pretty please." She hugged Sasuke and kissed him his cheek.

Sasuke pushed Akiha off and proceeded to walk away.

"You know that won't work on me. So you coming or not? If you don't, no deal."

"Teme!" Akiha muttered then ran up to walk by Sasuke's side.

Sasuke took Akiha for barbeque at the place where Choji and Shikamaru often had lunch. Upon their arrival, as expected they met Choji who was pigging out and what was probably, judging from the number of empty plates on the table, his third helping of pork, and Shikamaru who looked as if he couldn't be bothered with his surroundings.

Nothing fazed Sasuke but Akiha was fidgety, like a five year old. This was her first time actually stepping into a business place since she'd been with Sasuke. She was feeling a bit of nervousness rising to her throat but she swallowed it. Outside was fine, even though everyone was gawking at her but inside she felt trapped with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. She wanted to leave but she was reminded of the hand on her wrist. Sasuke was playing with her fingers, trying to calm her down. Akiha inhaled deeply and tried to realign herself. Now was not a good time for her to lose her cool. Sasuke and Akiha took the stall that was adjacent to the one Choji and Shikamaru was in and ordered a plate of pork for both of them.

As the waited for the food to arrive, Sasuke and Akiha played footsie with each other, smiling like a pair of fools for no reason.

"So I guess it is true."

Shikamaru was now hovering over Akiha's head from the other stall.

"I gotta admit Sasuke, you guys make a really cute couple and you do look happier."

Sasuke smiled.

"I feel happier too."

Shikamaru and Choji weren't really close friends with Sasuke nor were they people to pry into other people's personal life so they offered Sasuke and Akiha congratulations and left the couple to eat in peace.

When they were finished with their meals, Sasuke walked Akiha to a isolated part of town.

"I'm pretty beat so I guess I'll call it a day."

Akiha released the jutsu. She was now a he, and a bit shorter than before. His hair was shorter now but it was still the same golden blond and he had the same azure eyes. Whiskers had appeared on his face and he was now wearing an orange jumper, as opposed to the blue floral dress he…she was wearing moments ago. Akiha Kimura was now Naruto Uzumaki.

"I'm beat too." Naruto smiled. "I guess I'll call it a day and head on home too."

Sasuke handed Naruto an envelope.

"You've earned this dobe, take care."

"Thanks teme."

The both stood there staring awkwardly at each other before turn around and walking off in opposites ways.

* * *

To ilvecoffee-n-narutoYOUTH: I think this is the chapter you were looking for. :)

I've been reading profiles. Two profiles that stood out to me were unastar's profile which had Naruto jokes and, Sasiame's profile, which was long but I enjoyed reading it.

Like I said, I have chapters 4 and 5 planned out in my head, all I need to do is write it. I'm kinda busy writing papers irl but I'll try to write them and I'll post them both at the same time. :)


	4. Seething! The Fangirls Jealousy!

Seething! The Fangirls' Jealousy!

It was two hours after dawn in Konoha, by now most if its citizens if not all would be up. Naruto was sitting at his dining table staring at the envelope Sasuke gave him the previous day. It contained $1200, enough to cover Naruto's rent and buy his school supplies with a couple bucks left to spare. Naruto's first idea, and the obvious choice of action, was to handle his debts and buy utilities, but then his ramen lust emerged.

"_Think of all the ramen you could buy with all this money," it said. "You won't be hungry for weeks!"_

"_No!" Naruto's voice of reason protested. "Handle your debts now!"_

Naruto knew his voice of reason was right but that damn ramen lust….The conflict had kept him up all night, in that one spot, sitting at the dining table, staring at the envelope of money.

"Gah!" Naruto yelled as he flung his hands in the air and threw his head back. "Stupid rent! Stupid ramen with its deliciousness!" Naruto smiled on the last sentence. "Gah! This is so hard!"

Naruto sat with his arm folded and eyes closed, contemplating his options. He had finally decided to flip a coin; heads, he pays the rent; tails, he buys ramen. Naruto picked up a penny that was lying around on the floor and toss it in the air. It landed on heads.

"Well, rent it is."

_Good! It had better be_. His voice of reason scolded.

At midday, after Sasuke ate his lunch, he had grabbed his house keys and shoved one into the lock of his front door, waiting to hear the click that would tell him his house was now securely locked. Sasuke was about to head for town to meet Akiha when he thought about the night he made the deal with Naruto.

_Saskue was just about to grab the kunai he slept with under his pillow and throw it at whoever was hovering above him, telling them to piss off, when his vision came into focus. It was Naruto. His fist was clenched and his face was tight and serious. _

"_Sasuke! I accept your proposal!" He said, his voice firm and emotionless._

_Sasuke couldn't explain why exactly but suddenly, at the sound of these words, he became elated._

"_Let's go to the lake to talk," Sasuke said as he got out of his bed._

_At the lake Sasuke and Naruto sat at the clock pelting pebbles into the water, not making eye contact. Apart from the typical night noises there was silence. The air was cool and dry. _

"_So…" Sasuke said, breaking the silence. "Why yes?"_

_Naruto turned his head to stare Sasuke straight in the eye. Then he pulled out the letters he had recieved earlier that day._

"_These." Naruto handed the letters to Sasuke._

_Sasuke took the letters and unfolded the first one on top. He read through all the letters with an expressionless face and then he handed them back to Naruto._

"_I see."_

_Naruto was beginning to feel impatient with Sasuke but decided to hold out to see where the conversation was going and keep his temper and mouth at bay. He needed Sasuke._

"_Tell you what I'll do Naruto."_

_Naruto sat up straight and tensed his posture a bit._

"_I'll pay you $1200 after our first date and $500 every week after that. That way you'll be able to pay your debts, buy the things you need and still have money to start a new savings account. All that will keep you afloat until you start earning money as a genin."_

_Naruto and Sasuke smiled at each other, Sasuke noticed that Naruto seemed to be glowing with happiness. Naruto thought it was weird to see Sasuke so happy but then he shrugged it off. _

One of the letters Naruto showed that night was an eviction notice. It was the first time Sasuke ever thought about somebody's house other than his. He began to realize how much he took the fact that he inherited a house for granted.

By the time Sasuke had gotten to town, Akiha had already been standing in front a boutique they had decided to visit that day. Sasuke wasn't really a fan of shopping, especially clothes shopping since he never had to. Even before the massacre of his clan he was used to receiving free clothing in the mail. His clothes came from Shinobi Fashions and Tailor-Seamstress, a tailor shop and clothing boutique his family had owned. They specialized in wide range of styles for ninja and civilians alike. A few months before the massacre, his aunt, Chou, who was store manager, had taken on an apprentice. Her name was Chika. She was young, about eighteen, and had failed her ninja testing several times so she had given up and decided to become a seamstress instead. She picked up the secrets of the trade rapidly. Sasuke's Aunt Chou was very fond of Chika and was thrilled to teach her, so it was no surprise she even taught Chika the Uchiha Clothing Styles. Chika was very fond of Sasuke. On her breaks she sometimes watched Sasuke train. Sasuke knew the clothes were coming from her. Sometimes Sasuke sent a thank you note to let her know he was grateful.

Sasuke knew that as a boy Naruto wouldn't have many feminine clothes to wear as Akiha so he offered to take her shopping. The clothes Akiha wore on their previous day belonged to the tenant that inhabited the apartment before Naruto moved in. Sasuke hated the thought of shopping, and almost fainted when he convinced himself to take Akiha shopping.

_You have to make the appearance believable, _was what he told himself.

In the end he decided that having at least eighty percent of peace from his contract with Naruto was better than the zero percent he would have with his fangirls. Besides, Sasuke knew that the place he was taking Akiha to was one of Sakura's and Ino's favourite stores. He had heard Ino and Sakura talking about on a few rare occasions. They really liked the clothes but the clothes cost too much so they often only window-shopped there. Sasuke threw his head back and laughed like a maniac when he thought of the jealous look Sakura's face, and how she would freeze in shock when she saw Akiha in her dream dress. Then Sasuke took a deep breath and regained his cold, stony composure.

Akiha stood petrified, gazing at Sasuke with a what-the-hell look on her face. She wanted to say something but the only words to she could find to say were -what the hell- because that's all that was flowing through her head. The pale skin, raven hair boy had just pulled a Jekyll-Hyde-Jekyll on her. One minute he was silent being his calm indifferent self and then the next minute he was laughing with his head completely back as if it was going to roll off his neck, then he was back to his normal self again.

"Um…," Akiha whispered worriedly. "Sasuke, you alright?"

"I'm fine. Let's go in."

The first people Akiha and Sasuke saw as they entered the boutique were Ino and Sakura; like Sasuke predicted. They didn't see them though but Sasuke didn't care, he knew they would eventually.

Akiha stood at the front of the boutique for a few minutes, completely lost. She wasn't really a girl and most of the knowledge she had about feminine clothing was from Naruto's research he conducted while working on creating the Sexy Jutsu. Naruto eventually gained knowledge of the outer female anatomy and applied it to his jutsu ss he hardly transformed into a sexy girl wearing clothes. As a result he had lost most of his knowledge of female styles of dressing so Akiha had a hard time figuring out where to begin. Sasuke, who never shopped for clothes, not even for himself, was just useless. Akiha gazed around until her eyes finally landed on a rack carrying pastel coloured tops. As if instinctive, her legs suddenly started carrying her there.

"Sasuke, look!" Akiha shouted to Sasuke who was still at the door. "Do you like this one?"

The top Akiha was holding was a lilac tank top with gold embroidery underneath the breast.

Sasuke quickly glanced over to Ino and Sakura who were now shifting gaze between him and Akiha. The he plastered on a fake but convincing smile as he walked over to Akiha.

"I love it!"

Sakura and Ino's eyes widen as they gnashed their teeth. The lightning daggers they were throwing at Akiha with their eyes were almost visible. How dare she! This stranger! How dare she just march into Konoha and steal Sasuke from them! This girl they knew practically nothing about. Just who was she? This Akiha Kimura girl. Who the hell did she think she was?

"Oh. My. Gosh. Ino!" Sakura whispered. "She's wearing his clothes!"

"What?"

Ino took another glance at Akiha. She didn't notice it at first but she was noticing it now. Sasuke and Akiha were matching.

Since Akiha was a few inches taller than Sasuke, Sasuke's shorts that were normally just above his knees were almost mid-thigh to Akiha and the t-shirt she wore rose up just above her navel to expose her well-defined and toned abs.

Sasuke noticed his fan girls seething, as they gazed wide eyed at his girl friend. He smirked as he pulled out a top from the adjacent rack. It was a simple V-neck yellow crop shirt. Then Sasuke raised it to Akiha's face.

"How about this?"

Sasuke slipped his free hand under Akiha's shirt and massaged her abdomen.

"You abs are so smooth and sexy, you should show them off."

Akiha giggled.

"Sasuke."

She allowed his name to fall off her lips in a barely audible whisper. He face was flushed red.

Sasuke allowed his hand to further explore under Akiha's shirt. He gently squeezed on of her breast and then pulled her in for a kiss.

"And your curves. You are the definition of what a woman should be. And the world deserves to know."

Akiha just blushed deeper. If it were possible for her to turn a deeper shade of red, she would have.

Ino and Sakura's jaws dropped. The Sasuke they were seeing, he was so strange, so different but at the same time they wanted him. They were severely jealous of Akiha. She had the Sasuke they'd always wanted. And she had their dream body as well.

Sasuke and Akiha continued shopping. Once in a while Sasuke would pick out an outfit and comment loudly on how it suited Akiha's body. Each time he would glance over at Ino and Sakura, who never seemed to notice, and watch as their eyes squint closer to their mouths as they became more jealous.

Sakura almost fainted when she saw the dress Akiha was holding in her hands. It was her dream dress. A strapless baby doll dress that fanned out at the waist and stopped just above the knees. It was the same colour as the sky at the beginning of dawn. It faded from a light shade of periwinkle to purple mist to midnight blue, dotted with a few sparkles hear and there to imitate the stars and silver draped to represent the moon.

_Bingo!_ Sasuke thought.

Judging from the looks on Sakura's face, Akiha had found her dream dress.

"You should definitely try that on baby." Sasuke urge Akiha as he pushed her into the dressing room.

_Ravishing._

Ino thought as Akiha stepped out of the dressing room. She looked down at Sakura whose head was now buried in her chest.

_Poor thing._

Sakura was sobbing. It started out quietly but it turned into bawling.

_Sasuke-kun! I see why you chose her. She's even prettier than me. In my dream dress…._

The inner Sakura was sobbing…more like wailing.

_I won't win if she's around, would I, Sasuke-kun?_

Ino looked down at her friend, who obviously was hurting. Ino was hurting too but Sakura was already bawling her eyes out with no dignity so she had to be the strong one.

"Come on Sakura, let's go." She said quietly as she began to escort her friend out the store.

Akiha frowned as she watched the crying pink hair girl being escorted out the store by her blond friend. If she were Naruto she would have ran out after her and try to console her but she was Akiha, Sasuke's girlfriend so she made herself stay put. Her breathing became slightly laboured with the guilt from knowing she was partly to blame for Sakura's sadness. She hated making her feel so bad and promised to one day apologize to her for it.

Sasuke looked down as his blonde goddess, noticing the strong emotions flashed on her face. She was conflicted.

"Dobe!" He warned.

Akiha woke out of her sorrow. She knew what Sasuke meant. If she got too emotional, she would lose her jutsu so she shoved her emotions away to deal with them another day.

Sasuke allowed Akiha to pick out a few more garment before paying for her things. He had planned on taking Akiha out for ice cream after shopping but he had seen she was still sulking from the incident with Ino and Sakura.

"Dobe. Let's go back to my house." Sasuke said solemnly.

"Teme?" Akiha asked puzzled.

"Just trust me, dobe."

Akiha nodded and they left.

* * *

Well there you have it! My longest chapter yet, 2250 words.

I know I said I was gonna give chapter 4 and 5 at the same time but I got caught up in stuff this week. School term's almost ending and I have tons of essay so I might skip a week in the future.


	5. Reflection

Reflection

Sakura sat on her bed, not wanting to move. It was all just too painful. She had been sitting on her bed for maybe an hour now, not changing out of her night clothes or moving to prepare for the day. She was in serious contemplation, mostly about Naruto. The boy had a thing for her but she never glanced his way. She was always pining over Sasuke, fighting with Ino to get a chance to be by his side; to get some sort of attention from him and the more he ignored her and Ino and any other girl who wanted him, the more she struggled to find a way to please him. She did her best in school and came out top konoichi of their year, hoping that Sasuke would be impressed with her and recognize her. It didn't, but she had still hoped. She hoped that she would be put on Sasuke's genin team to have more chances to impress him and be around him. It was now three weeks into summer and she was still hoping for that but now she was starting to consider Naruto a bit more.

Sasuke had found a girl. Her name was Akiha and she was beautiful. She was tall with a full bust, well toned and much more mature than any girl in their age category. She was apparently what Sasuke wanted and something Sakura wasn't. The presence of Akiha meant that Sakura's chances of being with Sasuke (if she had any at all) were slim. Not that Sakura was thinking of giving up but it was now a possibility that neither she nor any of the girls of Sasuke's fan club would ever have him, so they might as well move on.

_Maybe this is how Naruto feels when he sees me pining over Sasuke, _she thought. _Being in love and never having you feelings returned. Trying to obtain something you secretly know will never come to you. Naruto, is this how you feel after every rejection?_

Sakura clutched a pillow that lay on her bed, her heart aching.

_No one deserves to feel this way. _

A tear escaped from Sakura's eye.

_This feeling of hopelessness. Of being lost and empty. It makes me feel so sick. Did I do this to you, Naruto? It feels hard to believe.. _

By this time Sakura was fully crying silently.

_And you survived this several times?_

Sakura lay down on her bed and huddled into foetal position, staring at nothing in particular as she continued her mental reflection.

Naruto slumped further down into the waters of the hot springs as he released an overly exaggerated sigh. The water was just right. He couldn't help but to smile as he closed his eyes and started drifting away into a dreamlike state. Today was his day off after all, and he earned a chance to relax.

For a while Naruto thought of nothing. He emptied his head completely, letting the steam of the hot water wash over him. He sat that way for several minutes before letting reality flood back into his head, bombarding his mental defences with a barrage of emotions and mental images. Sasuke rubbing his abs as Akiha, complementing him on a body that was an illusion. Sakura's face, swollen and red as she cried at witnessing her long time crush fawn over another girl. Ino's face, stoic and strong, hiding her inward sadness at the whole event. The faces of all the girls who worshipped Sasuke. He could practically hear all their hearts cracking at the sight of him as Akiha. He never imagined he would be the source of so much grief.

Then Naruto thought about the circumstances that created this whole mess. Those letters. His life was falling apart. He was on the brink of being homeless, poor and starving, and almost didn't make his dream of becoming a ninja, which was the first step in his ultimate dream of becoming Hokage. He was about to fall apart and give up. Ever since he could remember he was always hated, except by a few, and no one really stopped to offer a hand or ask him how he was doing. He was at his wits' end. The news about the Kyuubi being inside of him almost crushed him but luckily Iruka was there to help him. Then Sasuke came with his offer.

He didn't like Sasuke in particular. He couldn't stand the bastard, always acting like he was better than everyone. He had everything he could ever want in the world and still he didn't smile. Naruto didn't understand the bastard, but his offer was what Naruto needed to put himself back on his own two feet, so he had accepted it.

Sasuke was in his backyard, training. Just because it was summer didn't mean that he should relax. After all, he was a genin now, and he would be expected to always have his skills honed to their very best. Sasuke had to admit, he was enjoying the peace he now had. He had been going steady with Naruto as Akiha for three weeks now. He made sure to make it public knowledge that he was off the market. He made sure that he was seen with her at least three times a week and was always happy with her. Those three weeks of charades had been exhausting but this moment now made it all worth it. No random 'Hi Sasuke!' or stupid proposals to do mindless activities which didn't engage any of his shinobi or intellectual skills. Besides, the girls who wanted to hang out with him would do nothing but stare at him throughout their 'date', treating him as if he was a piece of meat. Sasuke had better things to do than allow himself to be paraded through town by an obsessive fan girl as if he were a carnival prize won by a five year old.

Sasuke widen his legs and fell into his next stance as he took a deep breath. His next move required a high level of focus but he just couldn't concentrate. His mind kept flashing back to the previous night he had with Naruto.

_Sasuke escorted Naruto to the couch in his living room after kicking his front door shut. Naruto dispelled his sexy jutsu. He was back to his normal self, wearing that horrid orange jumpsuit._

'_Maybe I should have shopped for Naruto instead.' Sasuke thought._

"_Can I offer you anything to drink?" Sasuke asked._

"_No thanks. I don't feel like having anything." Naruto decline politely, his eyes cast on the ground. "Why do you hate her anyway? Why do you hate any of them?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Sakura and Ino and all those girls, why do you hate them?"_

_Sasuke paused for a second. At first he was going to snap at Naruto and tell him to mind his own damn business but then he decided to keep his cool. Naruto was technically his client, and he was doing something considered intimate for him. It wouldn't be convincing to the public if both of them were mad at each other._

"_I don't hate any of them."_

"_Then why do you treat them that way? Why do you act like people are below you? Do you think emotions are just toys?"_

_Sasuke glared at Naruto who was staring at him fiercely with is fists clutched._

"_I'm not interested in any of them, and they don't get that. I have a goal, Naruto, and none of them can help me accomplish it. I don't need them but they can't see that."_

"_Sakura's beautiful, smart and kind! What's there not to like about her? Why can't you see that?"_

_At this point Sasuke was too angry to keep his cool. Naruto, that dobe, obviously didn't know what he was talking about._

"_Kind? Do you see the way she treats you? Is that kind to you?"_

"_Why did you bring me there Sasuke? You know how I feel about her. You know how she feels about you. Don't you care about anyone else but yourself, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke just shrugged._

"_You're angry, so you're being irrational, dobe. Take the day off. Your jutsu won't function properly if you're stirred like this."_

_Naruto got up and stormed towards the front door._

"_You're a selfish bastard Sasuke! You have everything you could ever want! You have people who love you and care about you and you treat them like shit!"_

_Then Naruto slammed the door and walked out._

Deep down, Naruto's words really hurt Sasuke. Even though he acted contrary, he did have feelings and he did care for people but he just couldn't show it. To some extent, he was even ashamed enough to admit that he couldn't show emotions, he was too afraid and he just didn't know how. Things like that weren't really encouraged during his upbringing, after all.

_Stupid dobe,_ he thought. _Why did I pick him for my deal?_

Yes, why Naruto? It wasn't as if Sasuke was ugly or anything like that. He could have gotten practically any girl he wanted. And it wouldn't have even had to be a fan girl. Konoha was filled with girls and he was the last Uchiha, what girl would have said no if they were asked for this task? And he probably wouldn't have even had to pay her.

Now Sasuke was confused. He didn't know why but he was drawn to Naruto. From the moment he formulated that plan Naruto was the first person to pop into his mind and no other seemed suited for the job. Sasuke dropped the current stance he was in and sat on the grass. He contemplated the possibility.

_Maybe. _He thought. _Just maybe I could…. No!_

Sasuke quickly dismissed the thought he was having before he could finished it and jumped back to his stance. He spent the rest of his day distracting himself so he wouldn't go back to it. That was a road he didn't want to travel.

"Okay mom! I'm going out now!" Sakura yelled as she raced downstairs and out her house.

After spending hours in bed contemplating the Sasuke/Akiha situation, she decided she'd stop feeling sorry for herself and go out today. She was determined to smile today and besides, she suddenly felt the need to talk to Naruto.


	6. Naruto and Sakura: A Date

Naruto and Sakura: A Date?

Sakura slowed her gait as she approached a door she'd never seen before but somehow felt as if it were familiar. Nothing external separated this door from the others around it, but yet it stood out. It had some sort of presence around it. An air, as if it had its own atmosphere. But then, considering who the door belonged to, of course it would. Sakura was after all, at Naruto's door. At least, it was, if the rumours were correct.

Sakura had no idea why so many people in the village talked about Naruto. She suspected it was because of all the mischief he made but wasn't sure. Regardless, had they not existed, she wouldn't have found the place where Naruto supposedly dwelled, so she was thankful for their existence.

She immediately felt a rush of anger swell inside of her but, just as quickly as it came, squashed that rage by reminding herself of why she was where she was. She then began to feel nervous.

_Oh,_she mentally sighed._If you can't even quell this unreasonable rage inside you, how are you going to go through with this?_

_Cha! You can do it!_Her other side said in attempt to console her. And thus, a silent war began in her head. She felt so unstable. From the first day she saw him, she'd been in love with Sasuke Uchiha. He was her one goal. Her prime target and he disregarded her with such ease. She never cared though. She was going to wear him down. But now this Akiha scenario seriously dampened things. Seeing Sasuke with her caused Sakura to lose faith in a future she once romanticised. It also caused her to open her eyes to Naruto, caused her to see that she was doing to Naruto what Sasuke was doing to her. And seeing how lovely that turned out for her, she knew it would be wrong to cause the same thing to happen to someone else. It's what brought her to Naruto's door today.

Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath in attempt to calm her nerves. Then, she slowly but firmly knocked on Naruto's door. Of course her inner self would win. She always won any mental war she had with Sakura. Still, Sakura silently wished for Naruto to not answer the door, secretly hoped for him to be out somewhere even if it meant he was causing mischief wherever that somewhere was. Unfortunately, Sakura had no so luck.

Soon after knocking, she heard some shuffling about. _Yep, this is definitely his place,_she thought as Naruto opened the door. He greeted her with a bemused gaze that rapidly changed into an eager smile.

"O-O-Oh hi Sakura. What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, rubbing the back of his head. It was a sign that he was a little uncomfortable, but Sakura couldn't tell if it was because of her presence or something else.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Naruto interrupted her.

"You wanna come in? You'll probably be more comfortable if you had a seat."

Spotting some tossed-about garbage on Naruto's floor, Sakura honestly felt a little grossed out and was about to decline before she noticed a slight rose tinge on Naruto's cheeks. He was blushing.

_He really does like me, doesn't he?_

"Sure Naruto, I would like that."

Sakura took the first seat she saw in Naruto's living room. The first clean seat, that is. Naruto offered her a drink and a snack and she politely declined. She was shocked at the level civility though. Who knew Naruto had manners? Granted he was no prince and was more than rough around the edges but he surprisingly had the ability to be decent.

Feeling the need to get to the point, Sakura quietly cleared her throat to get Naruto's attention.

"Would you like to go out with me, Naruto?" She blurted in one breath.

"Huh?" Naruto responded, just as quick.

"You know… like a date. Would you like to take me out on one?"

Naruto's face lit up with excitement. He couldn't believe it. After so many years of asking, after so many years of being humiliated and rejected, he was finally getting his dream. Sakura. He had loved her from the day he first saw her.

_Akiha!_Naruto immidiately came crashing down from his high as he thought of her. He was still under a contract with Sasuke to play his girlfriend as Akiha, and wasn't sure how him dating Sakura would affect his deal with Sasuke.

_This seriously sucks, _he thought all this time, he had finally gotten a chance with Sakura and because of Sasuke he would have to decline._Of course… if you say no now you might never get this chance again._

Naruto glanced at Sakura. She was smiling but he sensed she was a little agitated by his hesitance. He wished he had more time to think about her offer but she was right there in front of him. He had to give a response, and a quick one at that.

Naruto leapt out of his seat. "I would love that, Sakura!"

Sakura smiled at his energetic response.

Later that night, Naruto found himself in front of Ichiraku's Ramen waiting for Sakura. She was fifteen minutes late and he had been there since ten minutes before the time he was expected to be. He was anxiously bouncing up and down and starving. Honestly, most of him was truly excited to be going on a date with Sakura but there was still that small side of him that held some reservation. He still wasn't sure how Sakura would play into all that was going on with him and Sasuke but he felt as if he had to be on that date with Sakura. Not just because he wanted to be there but also because if he didn't accept, Sakura would have become suspicious of him. Since Akiha showed up, he, as Naruto, had been scarce.

Actually, he hadn't even played a prank on any citizen of Konoha for the whole summer. And he'd hardly visited the Hokage as well. Plus, he was hardly at Ichiraku's since he was trying to save money to pay off his debts and buy school supplies. It was about time for him to make an appearance. The village was too quiet and people were already talking. Granted, they were more reveling in the silence of his absence but still, it was abnormal behaviour for him.

Yep, that is what he told himself to justify being on a date with Sakura.

Naruto fidgeted with his goggles once more before spotting Sakura. She wasn't dressed in anything special to highlight the occasion or even hint that they were on a date (and for that matter of fact, neither was he) but she looked lovely. Beaming with his goofiest smile, Naruto led her into Ichiraku's and to her seat.

"So, Naruto, what you been up to all summer? You've been quiet lately," Sakura noted. She had already finished her first and seemingly only bowl of chicken ramen whereas Naruto was just about to finish his third. He paused a second before swallowing his last bite and turned the bowl to his head before resting it and his chopsticks back down on the table.

_Oh no! Did she find out about Akiha? She had to! Why else would she ask me to come here? I knew it was too good to be true!_Naruto started to mentally panic. He quickly glanced at Sakura. All she was doing is smiling at him expectantly._Alright, she doesn't seem to suspect anything. Just play it cool and go with the flow. And if anything comes up, just handle it._

Sakura watched as Naruto's face flashed a brief moment of panic before returning to its stoic form. She could tell he was thinking on his answer. And it wasn't the first time she caught him doing that. She noticed him doing it back at his apartment as well. It was so strange for her to see him actually thinking since ever since she'd known him he'd always presented himself in a carefree, happy-go-lucky manner. He'd always been so thoughtless with what he said and did that it just never occurred to her that maybe, Naruto could think ever so often. Apparently, more often than she realised.

"Oh, you know, a little this and that. Just… stuff, you know?"

Sakura was honestly disappointed by his answer. The Naruto she knew was always loud and brash, quick to brag but the Naruto she was with now was awfully reserved. It confused her. Then she caught that his smile. The same as the one earlier today. The warm and goofy one that hid the awkwardness Naruto was truly feeling._I wonder why Naruto feels awkward. Is he just nervous? So strange…._

"I heard that you're actually a genin now," said Sakura, abruptly changing the topic.

"Oh! Yeah. I only failed the Bunshin, and I've learnt it now so Iruka-sensei let me pass." Naruto let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head.

_That's strange. I wonder how Naruto managed to make three clones when he was barely able to make one in class or the exam._

"That's awesome!" Sakura feigned. "So how was the make up test? Was it harder than the original?"

Naruto thought of Mizuki. _Harder was an understatement_, he decided. The bastard had nearly killed him and Iruka. But if he told Sakura that, it might worry her. Plus The Third wanted to keep the Mizuki incident under wraps.

"Nah. It was a piece of cake."

Such a lie._She's asking too many questions._"How about we take a stroll?" Naruto suggested, hoping it would distract Sakura.

"Thanks but no thanks. It's late. I should probably head on home now."

Naruto paid for their ramen and hopped off his stool.

"Oh, okay. Let me walk you home then."

"Thanks, Naruto, but I think I'll be fine by myself." Sakura politely smiled before turning around and heading towards her house.

When she got home, Sakura popped off her shoes and headed for bed. She didn't even change out of her clothes. She had so much on her mind. Particularly Naruto.

_Such a strange date. The way he acted, it's like I never knew him at all. But then again… I've always chased him away in the past, never really cared to spurt anything but insults towards him so… I probably didn't._

No sooner had Naruto locked his front door did he sink to his knees, back against the door. His date with Sakura was definitely not what he'd dreamed of all these years and he was disappointed. More in himself than Sakura though. He felt so guilty all through the date, being with her while being with Sasuke. Granted, his relationship with Sasuke was only business, he still felt like he was cheating.

_I can't keep things going like this._

The guilt was already beginning to eat at him. He knew what he had to do. He was reluctant, but he knew that eventually, making a decision would be inevitable. He had to choose between Sasuke and Sakura. There were still five more weeks of summer left and he felt as if he was going to die from the weight of all the lies he'd been carrying. He knew that he couldn't handle carrying on his ruse much longer. He hated quitting. He hated giving up but he hated hurting the one girl he'd ever loved as well. But he feared that if she found out she would hate him forever. And he'd just started making progress with him. He suspected that it may be because of Akiha's presence but whatever the reason though…

He guessed that Sakura had probably given up on Sasuke because he was taken. He felt hollow. If that were the case, then it would mean that he didn't truly win Sakura. He was just her rebound, and probably didn't mean anything to her. If some other guy came by, just as hot and talented as Sasuke, she would probably be all over him. And he, Naruto would be back to square one.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

_Since when did I think Sasuke was hot? Talented yeah, but hot?_

Naruto mentally shook himself and decided to go to bed. He was obviously too tired to think clearly – at least that was what he told himself – and would be better able to think in the morning.


End file.
